Lighting system and apparatus



Fe.. H, i936.. s. F. ARBUCKLE ET AL 2,930,629

LIGHTING SYST'M AND APPARATUS Filed May 51, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l l Mw ATTORNEYS Y Fb M, m36 s. F. ARBUCKLE ET AL v LIGHTING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS Filed May 51, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Feb. M, 1936.

LIGHTING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS Filed May 3l, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR S Samue/ f77/bucle BY G'gy H500/fav' I ATTORNEYS wf Willi 4 s. F. ARBUCKLE ETL/u. 4 2,030,620.

Patented Feb. '11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIGHTING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS Samuel F. Arbuckle and Guy H. Coulter, Highland Park, Mich., assignors to United Lens Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application May 31, 1932, Serial No. 614,384

3 Claims. (Cl. 240-7.1)

This invention relates to illuminating means tive position or relationship existing between the and more particularly to headlamps of the type independently usable filaments and the light reusable in connection with automotive vehicles for iiecting medium to .eiect a change in the direcproducing satisfactory road illumination espetion of the projected light beams.

5 cially eliminating glare. An object of the invention is the provision of In providing illumination for movable vehicles an arrangement of movably supported light several desirable requisites should be considered. sources for changing the coacting relationship For example, a light provided on a vehicle should between the reecting medium and the light not cause glare, that is, a concentrated intensity sources, the invention further embracing the proof illumination at an undesirable direction makes vision of simple and eiective electro-responsive 10 it diiiicult for an observer such as a pedestrian or means for eiecting the desired change in the an approaching driver to see, thus endangering position of the light emitting means to compenboth the observer and the driver of the vehicle. sate for relative variations in loading of the ve- Another consideration is that the illumination hielo.

be provided commensurate with the speed at A further object of the invention is the provi- 15 which the vehieleie travelling, it being importent sion of vehicle lighting apparatus wherein the to have a light at a greater distance from the directional characteristics of the light beams may vehicle when the same is moving at a high rate be automatically altered dependent 1113011 the of speed than is desirable when the vehicle is Static load factor of the Vehicle.

moving at a comparatively slow rate of speed. Further objects and advantages are within the 20 Still another consideration is that the loading of Scope 0f this nVentiOn, Such aS relate t0 the 21`- the vehicle affects the direction of light projected, rangement, Operation and fllnCiOn 0f the related as for example in an unloaded vehicle the light elements of the structure, to various details of should preferably not project above a horizontal construction a-nd to combinations of parts, eleline on a plane through the center portion or ments per se, and to economies of manufacture focus of the headlamps to conform to the laws` and numerous other features, as Wi11be apparent at present relating to vehicle illumination, wherefrom a consideration of the specication and as, in the same vehicle loaded, the headlamps drawing of a form 0f the invention Whoh may be will be tilted throwing the light above the horipreferred, in Wheh no zontel, and it is desirable to provide means to Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a 3o eliminate or minimize this troublesome condition. headlamp incorporating means for changing the A simple and eiective illuminating means is relative position between the light sources and provided which emits a long concentrated drivthe light reflecting medium; ing beam for use in long distance or high speed Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view show- ."5 driving and alternately a depressed beam for iling various parts of the structure shown in Fig- 35 luminating the road nearer the vehicle, the latter ure 1 and illustrating one form of filament posibeam being so directed as to effectively eliminate tioning with respect to the reflecting medium glare in the eyes of approaching drivers or pedesand the axis of the latter for obtaining light trians but so arranged as to also illuminate adbeams having particular directional characterl0 jacent roadway to a suicient degree of intensity istics; 40 of illumination to provide satisfactory lighting, Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showthe illuminating system being arranged to ooming another position of larnents with respect to pensate for the directional change in the light the light reecting medium and the axis thereprojected from the headlamps when the vehicle is of for obtaining beams having different direcloaded in contradistinction to an unloaded tional characteristics; 45 condition of the vehicle. j Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a The invention embraces the provision of simtypical headlamp lighting circuit for accomplishple and effective means for producing independing the results attainable through the utilizaently usable light beams coupled with an artion of our invention.

rangement for simultaneously changing the di- Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 show- 50 rection of such beams to compensate for loaded" ing a form of the invention illustrating a difor unloaded relative positions of the vehicle ferent lament positioning and the relative 1obody with respect to its supporting structure. cation of the lament shifting means of the in- The invention comprehends the provision of a vention;

simple and effective means for changing the rela- Figure 6 is a fragmentary view similar to Flg- 55 of the invention is illustrated as incorporatedv in the headlamps and illuminating. systems of the character particularly employed with auto- VAi:

'is positioned a solenoid core 36, and associated motive vehicles, but it is to be understood' that Vthe inventionV may be incorporated in any type of illuminating means wherein the Vsame may be found to be applicable.

Y One form of this invention forY compensating for this elevation of light beam due to loading of the vehicle is illustrated in Figure' 1- in which the headlamp comprises `an-enclosing casingY 2i)- within which is positioned a parabolic or substantiallyv parallelizing reflector or light reiiecting medium 2l in front off which `is positioned a Y' lens or substantially transparent cover 212 contained'within-an escutcheon member 23, the latterY being securedV by any suitable` means (notY shown)v to the casing 20. The apex or Vheel or" the reflectoris providedY Withv an openingv through-which projects a socket member 26 suitably pivotedV to; ears 2l preferably. forming a par-tl ofthe reflector `2l.. by rneansof a pivot pin 28; TheY socket 26 isadapted to support a lamp bulb 30 within which is preferably posi-- tioned a plurality of separately energizable lamp iilamentsl, 32-or producing the depressed and distance beams hereinbefore described.

Preferably secured to the, reflector V2| as'by spot welding 34 or other suitable means is a bracket 35A provided with openingswithin which winding 33, the upper extremity of the core terminating in juxtaposition to a. projection 3l oi magnetic material acting as anY armature formed upon the lower surface of the. socket 'member 26, either integral therewith or secured by any Ysuitable means thereto. The bracket 35l is also provided with openings adapted Vto accommodate insulating bushings 38 through whichV passes the lead wire 40 connected to the winding 33 of the solenoid.

The rear extremity of. the socket member 26 is provided with any ear portion 43 which is connected by means of a spring or other resili-Y ent member 44 to a projecting member 45 prefer'ablyv forming an integral part of the bracket member 35. The portion of the bracket 35 immediately above the socket member 2-6 is formedY with a threaded opening adaptedA to receive an adjusting screw or stop member 46 which may be. xedly secured in adjusted position by means of a lock nut 41, the screw 46 serving to limit the tilting movement of socket 26 for the purpose of definitely positioning the lamp bulb 33 and laments with respect to the reflector.

4.The plurality of separately Yenergizable iilaments 3| and V32 for producing. the depressed and driving` beams hereinbefore described are energized from a suitable source of energy vby means of lead wires 4l and 42 suitably connected to a storage battery l2 through the use of a selector switch I3 adapted to bemoved to establishVY circuits for` selectively energizing either set of laments. The solenoid windings 33V are connected Aby leadwires 40 to the storage battery or source of energy, the circuit adapted to be closed or opened by means of a manual switch i6. Intercalated in the circuit between the switch I6 and the source of energy or storage battery l2 is preferably a second switch Il actuated by the ignition switch, the latter being controlled by a suitable locking device of usual construction (not shown). The use ofi the supplemental switch l1 simultaneously actuated by the ignition controlling circuit renders it impossible to shift Vthe bulb and laments when the ignition circuit is ineffective. This supplemental switch may be dispensed with, without departing from the spirit of this invention. It should be noted that the filament circuit, as well as the solenoidv circuits use the ground as a return medium to the battery l2 which is also grounded.

In the embodiment of the invention above described with the car in `substantially unloaded` position it should be noted that the type of headlamp disclosed is initialy tilted downwardly soA that the reflector axis is inclined downwardly with respect to a line parallel to the roadway and that the lower ilam'ent 32 bears a relation with respect tothe reflector axis and focal point so that the rays projected from the reector emanating fromK .Y

the lower filament 32 will preferably not be directed above a horizontal position, which is inV compliance with the present day legal requirement with respect to glare conditions or requirements for a driving beam. The upper limits of the- Y depressed beam or light emanatingV from the upper lament 3l strikes ther roadway nearer to the vehicle than the driving beam.

Should the vehicle be substantially fully loaded, the vehicle body will be moved with respect to the roadway, the load substantially compressing the rear springs and effecting an upward tilt to the headlamp causing .a corresponding degree of upward tilt to the light projected from the headlamps so that the upper limits ofthe driving andV depressed beams have been elevated. In this condition, the light projected is somewhat objectionable due to the presence of a certain degree'of glare, as well as the beam being in contravention to the legal requirements. In order to alleviate this condition through the use of the invention, the means hereinbefore described for changing the relativeV positions of the filaments with respect to the reector is brought into use.V

Assuming that the ignition switch Il? is in closedV circuit position, the switch I6 is moved to closed circuit position causing energization of the solenoid circuit thus attracting the armature 31, and causing a tilting Vmovement of the lamp socket,

lamp bulb and filaments contained therein, moving the same from the position shown in Figure 2 tothe position shown in Figure 3' wherein both filaments are elevated substantially above the positionl illustrated in Figure 2. The movement and adjustment is such thatthe lower filament 32 will be substantially in the focal axis of the re- Iiector while the lament 3| will be correspondingly raised .above the axis. Thus, the energization of the solenoid circuit and the windings 33 causing the movement of the filaments results in a shifting of the beams so that the line of the maX- imum upper limit for the distant or driving beam will .be substantiallycoincident with the normal line of the upper limit of the distant or driving beam when the car is in unloaded position.

It is desirable in the combination disclosed to employ a' reflectorV of the so-called long focal if) i Struck up from the length type, the position of the filaments being such with respect to the reflector that the parametric or focal plane will pass substantially through the light emitting portion of the filaments. Utilizing a long focal length reflector of the character disclosed a fore and aft adjustment of the filaments with respect to the focal plane of the reflector has been found in practical use to be unnecessary, the headlamp being of the character known as the fixed focus reflector, not requiring horizontal longitudinal adjustment f the filaments. With headlamps of this character, it is desirable to employ lenses 22 having prismatic portions of varying angularity or gradation to not only control the rays projected from the portions of the reflector forward of the parameter but to build up a desirable projected light beam pattern.

Another embodiment of our invention is illustrated particularly in Figures through 7 inclusive. In this embodiment the lamp bulb and the sources of light or filaments contained therein are maintained in a position corresponding to unloaded position of the car to produce the driving beam not having glare characteristics by means of the energization of the solenoid. n this embodiment when the vehicle is in loaded condition the headlamps are, as has been previously described, tilted upwardly and the light beams likewise thrown upwardly. To compensate for this condition, the filaments are moved upwardly with respect to the light projecting means by de-energizing the solenoid, permitting a spring or other element to move the lamp bulb and filaments to a position lowering the light beams.

This arrangement in detail resides in the headlamp 20 supporting a long focal length reflector 2| a front lens 22 preferably provided with horizontally disposed prisms of varying gradation, and a bezel ring 23', substantially similar in construction to the arrangement previously described in Figure 1 hereof. The lamp socket 26 carrying the lamp bulb 36 within which are positioned filaments 3| and 32 is pivotally supported upon projecting ears 6|) forming an integral part of a U-shaped bracket 6|, the latter in turn riveted as at 62 to the reflector or otherwise suitably secured thereto. Depending from an extending portion 64 of braket 6| is a solenoid 65 having a cooperative armature 61 which is flexibly pivoted to bracket 6| by means of a strip of comparatively thin material as at 68, the strip 68 being fabricated of spring copper or other flexible material.

bracket 6| are integral projeotions and the projections 'I0 terminating adjacent the armature 6l and acting as a stop m'ember to limit the lowermost position of the armature, the stop member 1| serving to define the position of the socket member 26 when the latter is moved to the position shown in full lines in Figure 5. It should be noted that stop members 'l0 and may be bent or distorted to regulate or limit the movements of the lamp socket and armature. Secured to the rear extremity of the socket member 26 is a substantially hook-like member 13, the extremity of which embraces the end of the armature 61 so that energization of the solenoid 65 acts to lift the armature 61 and member 13 thus moving the socket 26' and lamp bulb 30 to the position shown in full lines in Figure 5. The lower portion of bracket 6| is formed with a lateral extension 14, the latter having a threaded opening to receive a screw 'l5 acting to define the other limit of movement of the socket 26' and bulb 3U. A coil spring 'I6 connecting the rear extremity of the socket 23 and the projection 'I4 formed on bracket 6| acts to constantly urge the socket 26 and lamp bulb 30' to the position indicated by dotted lines in Figure 5. Suitable connections Tl, 'I8 and I9 are made to the lamp filaments and the solenoid respectively for energizing at will either set of filaments or the solenoids.

The operation of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 5 through inclusive is similar in operation to the form shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive. It is preferable that the headlamp assembly be positioned with respect to the carin unloaded condition so as to be tilted slightly downwardly, the initial position of the filaments being arranged with respect to the focal axis o-f the reflector such that a substantially horizontal driving beam is obtained which will not cause glare in the eyes of approaching drivers, the filament positioning in this condition being particularly shown in Figure 6 with the solenoid energized, where it is noted that the reflectorV axis is angularly arranged with respect to a line representing a parallel position with respect to the roadway. It can be seen that with the solenoid energized as shown in Figure 6 with the carin a substantially unloaded condition the light emanating from the filament 32 and being projected by the reflector 2|' produces a satisfactory driving beam, while the light emanating from the filament 3| projected from the reflector produces the depressed beam. Should the car become loaded, the de-energization of solenoid B5 may be accomplished by manual or other operation of the circuit closing device, the spring 'i6 operating upon the secession of pull of the solenoid upon the armature 61 to move the socket 26 and lamp bulb 30', filaments 3| and 32 to the position indicated in Figure 7. After the filaments have become elevated with respect to the reflector 2|', the light emanating from the lament 32 forming the driving beam is slightly lowered over the position of the beam which would normally be projected from the refiector with the laments positioned as shown in Figure 6. As the beam position with a loaded car becomes higher, the beam emanating from the filament 32 in Figure 'l will produce a beam so that it will not produce glare in the eyes of approaching drivers. In this position the lamp bulb 30 and the filaments are definitely moved to a xed location determined by the position of the stop screw 'I5 the bulb being held in thel position under the constant contractile force of spring 16. It is obvious that in the foregoing described embodiment of the invention the solenoid will be energized to position the lamp bulb and filaments when the car is in substantially unloaded condition and that the solenoid is deenergized to reposition the filaments to compensate for a loaded condition in the car, changing the direction of the light beams.

Means forming a part of the invention resides in an arrangement for automatically energizing and deenergizing a circuit for changing the position of the filaments dependent upon a load factor of the vehicle. One embodiment of this arrangement is particularly illustrated in Figure 8 wherein numeral |00 designates a body portion of a vehicle as for example, the rear portion of a body of a multi-passenger vehicle. The seat portion |02 is preferably carried by a plurality of resilient members or springs |03 interposed between a lower plate |65 of the seat portion and a transverselyV extending bar |06. Slidably positioned in openings in the bar |06 are cylindrical Yand the plate |05 of the seat |02 are coil springs ||I urging the contacts |08 to a predetermined position, springs being insulated froml bar |05 by means of insulating plates I4. Positioned beneath bar |06 is a second member or bar .l l2 carrying stationary contacts ||3 normally in alignment with contacts |08 but out of engagement therewith. The sets of contacts |08 and I3 are connected in parallel with each other and yarranged so that when either of the contacts |08 engages its respective stationary contact |3,. the solenoids of the bulb shifting mechanism hereinbefore described for changing the direction of the light beams are energized. The circuit may, as desired, include a manually operated switch ||5 supplementing the contact switches formed by contacts andY I3. If desired, a switch H0 may be interposed in the circuit, this switch'being actuated by the ignition controlling means so as to render the solenoid circuit ineffective when the engine of the vehicle is not inv opera.- tion.

In the operation of this arrangement assuming that there is no abnormal load upon the seat portion |02 of the vehicle', both movableV contacts |08 will be out of engagement with the stationary contacts ||3 so that no Venergization of the solenoids will take place. In event that a load is T placed upon the seat portion |02, assuming that the switches l5 and I6 are in closed position, the springs |03 will be expanded,` seat portion |02 will move downwardly carrying therewith plate |05 and under the influence of the coil springs one or both of the movable contacts |08 will be moved into engagement with stationary contacts IIS. Thus, the solenoids will be energized to shift the position of the filamentsrand the lamp bulb supporting the same. When the load is removed from the seat portion |02, the springs |03 move the seat portion upwardly thus affecting a desired disengagement of contacts |08 with stationary contacts ||3 to Vde-energize the solenoid circuit affecting a switching of the iilaments to the other position as is hereinbefore described. This automatic switching arrangement has particular adaptability with the forms of the invention disclosedin Figures l through 4 inclusive of the drawings wherein energization of the solenoids moves the laments to one position and de-energization of the solenoids moves the: laments to another position.

It is apparent that, within the scope of the invention, modifications and different arrangements may be made other than is herein disclosed-and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the invention comprehending all variations thereof. 1

We claim: Y

l. In combination with an automotive vehicle; a lamp bulb;V a plurality of lightsources in said bulb; light projecting means associated with said light sources for producing light beams having deiinite directional characteristics, and means Vfor changing the position-of said lamp bulb With respect to the light projecting means `for com-V l pensating changes in the static relative position of the vehicle for effecting a change in the direction of the lightl beams produced, said means being controlled by a loadfreceiving member located within the vehicle body.

2. In combination with an automotive vehicle, a headlamp casing carried by said vehicle; a lamp bulb carried by said casing, said lamp bulb containing a plurality of independently usable Vlight sources; a reflector carried by said casing;

a lamp socket carried by said reflector, said lamp socket supporting said light bulb; means for urging said socket to one position, whereby `the light sources in conjunction with the reector produce beams having predetermined different directionalV characteristics at or below a predetermined hori- Y zontal plane; and electrically energized automatic means for changing the position of said light socket and lamp bulb with respect to said f reflector to compensate for changes in the projected light beam with respect to said horizontal plane resulting from changes in the relative p0'- sitio-n of said vehicle due to variations in load of said vehicle,V said means being actuated when the initial position of a seating element Within the vehicle body is changed under load.

3. In a headlighting system for automotive vehicles, the combination of a lamp casing xedly secured to the vehicle; a Yreflector' mounted in said casing; a lamp bulb containing a plurality of light sourcesV associated with said reflector, said light sources being selectively energizable for producing driving and depressed beams;`

means for shifting the position of said lamp bulb and said light sources relative to said reflector thereby changing the direction e of said light beams, said means including an element adapted to be electrically energized from a remote position located within the vehicle body and dependent uponga load responsive element to shift Vthe light sources to one position with respect to the reflector; mechanical means for shifting the lamp bulb and light sources to another position and means for adjustably limiting the movement of said lamp bulbV when urged to a position under the influence of said mechanical means.

SAMUEL F. ARBUCKLE. GUY H. COULTER. 

